Customer Reviews

Growing Teen Disciples: Strategies for Really Effective Youth Ministry

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Growing Teen Disciples provides easy to follow strategies for creating effective youth ministry programs. It is a "must read" for any youth minister. Mercadante integrates a variety of personal stories into the reading as a way to illustrate his points. The stories, worksheets, and tools enable this book to not only be a "how to" book, but a reference manual as well. After reading it through to understand the big picture, I have often pulled it out as my first point of reference for such topics as "getting started," "evaluating a current ministry," and "developing large and small group evangelistic settings." Since using Growing Teen Disciples, it is clear to see why Mercadante is viewed as one of the experts on developing successful youth ministries.

I've read Make it Real and Positively Dangerous. I also read Purpose Driven Youth Ministry(PDYM). The similarity with PDYM even extends to the font used. As such, may I suggest making this, the first book you read.

Without detracting from the great work he has done I just want to note that on p 117, Frank seems to make no distinction between Protestant term 'evangelism' and the Catholic term 'evangelisation'. But there is a difference. Evangelisation, as the Catholic Church understands it, "is a complex process made up of varied elements: the renewal of humanity, witness, explicit proclamation, inner adherence, entry into the community, acceptance of signs, apostolic initiative" (On Evangelisation in the Modern World #24). Thus, evangelisation is the entire mission of the Church, under which evangelism or proclamation is just one of its aspects.

Frank Mercadante is superb. He has many years of experience. This resource will not only help you to understand your teen disciples but will give you the tools to help them grow and grow your ministry. I have created a peer ministry team out of the ideas in this resource. There is not another resource out there that I've seen that is better than this one!